Deadly Hallucinations

Deadly Hallucinations

AN ESTIMATED SEVEN MILLION AMERICANS EXPERIENCE DELIRIUM AT THE HOSPITAL EVERY YEAR. IT'S A CONDITION AFFECTING THE ELDERLY THAT GOES UNDIAGNOSED 60-PERCENT OF THE TIME AND CAN PROVE DEADLY. TONIGHT'S HEALTHCAST SHOWS US HOW WE CAN HELP PROTECT OUR LOVED ONES.THIS KEEPS ROLLAND PFILE'S MIND AT EASE. BUT A RECENT STAY AT THE HOSPITAL FOR AN EMERGENCY SURGERY HAD HIM TERRIFIED. "Almost anything that I heard, I was interpreting as a death threat." ROLLAND WAS SUFFERING FROM DELIRIUM, A SUDDEN ALTERATION IN MENTAL STATE AFFECTING ABOUT 80-PERCENT OF PATIENTS ON MECHANICAL VENTILATION IN THE I-C-U."If I'd have gotten a hold of a weapon, I would have started firing." "Delirium is acute brain failure." DOCTOR MALAZ BOUSTANI SAYS IT CAN BE JUST AS SERIOUS AS HAVING A HEART ATTACK. "Your chance of death over the next 30 days doubles." AND IT DOESN'T STOP THERE. "Your chance of developing full blown Alzheimer's disease over the next 5 years goes up 2 sometimes 5 times the odds." WHILE THE EXACT CAUSE OF DELIRIUM IS NOT KNOWN, FOR VULNERABLE OLDER PEOPLE, DEVELOPING A URINARY TRACT INFECTION OR TAKING AN OVER-THE-COUNTER SLEEPING PILL COULD LEAD TO IT. A STROKE OR HEART ATTACK COULD ALSO TRIGGER DELIRIUM. IN ABOUT 40-PERCENT OF CASES, HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED DELIRIUM IS PREVENTABLE. HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOUR LOVED ONES: HAVE A LIST OF ALL THE PATIENT'S MEDICATIONS. OVERMEDICATION CAN TRIGGER DELIRIUM. BRING THEIR GLASSES AND HEARING AIDS. WATCH FOR OBVIOUS SIGNS LIKE CONFUSION. "One hour the patient is back to normal, another hour the patient is more confused. This fluctuation is a red flag." FINALLY MAKE THINGS FAMILIAR BY BRINGING COMFORTING OBJECTS FROM HOME TO HELP ORIENTATE THEM. TIPS ROLLAND'S WIFE WISHED SHE HAD KNOWN SOONER. "I knew nothing about delirium. I didn't have a clue." UNTIL RECENTLY, HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED DELIRIUM, WAS CHALKED UP TO OLD AGE AND NOT CONSIDERED A CONDITION TO BE PREVENTED OR TREATED. DOCTOR BOUSTANI SAYS DELIRIUM PATIENTS ALSO END UP IN NURSING HOMES 75-PERCENT OF THE TIME, WHICH IS FIVE TIMES HIGHER THAN THOSE WITHOUT THE CONDITION. THE CONDITION ALSO LEADS TO LONGER STAYS IN THE HOSPITAL AN AVERAGE OF NINE DAYS COMPARED TO FOUR WITHOUT DELIRIUM, COSTING PATIENTS AN AVERAGE 60-THOUSAND DOLLARS PER HOSPITAL STAY.